News Centre

PRESIDENT OBAMA TOURS SYMBION; URGES SPEED ON POWER PROJECTS

United States President, Barack Obama has urged the Tanzanian government to ensure effective implementation of the electricity projects under the multi-billion dollar ‘Power Africa project’, financed by the US.

President Obama made the statement during a brief visit to the Symbion Power Plant in Ubungo, Dar es Salaam early July, this year, where he launched the project.

He insisted on avoiding unnecessary delays during the implementation of the project saying would benefit neither the country nor its people.

In the project, US government will contribute 7 billion US dollars, and 9 billion US dollars will be from the private sector. The two parties were urged to participate fully in the implementation of the project so the public can see the benefits in reducing poverty.

Mentioning Symbion as a good example of projects that his country will implement in the African continent to increase electricity production, President Obama stressed that the target is to increase power generation to 10,000 MW that will benefit homes and businesses totaling 20 million.

Countries which already have plans on electricity production have been prioritized. They are Ethiopia, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Mozambique. “These countries already have in place plans on electricity production and we will do everything possible to ensure this is achieved,” he explained.

Minister for Energy and Minerals, Prof. Sospeter Muhongo said the project should be implemented quickly. “We can’t afford to wait seven to eight years,” he stressed. However, he made it clear that though “we want speed, but also need to do it right.” The speed should not jeopardize quality.